Defence mechanism

You hear as you drive to work, you read as you have your coffee, of the war in Iraq and of peacekeeping in Bosnia. You are vaguely aware of the proposed cuts in the Armed Forces and the ever-increasing reliance on the Territorial Army to fill the gap. But are you ready to get a knock on your office door from one of your better employees wanting to have a word with you about their involvement in the reserve forces?

It is a fact that the Volunteer Reserve Forces (VRF) are changing, and the way that they are being used is changing, and the changes could well affect you and your staff sooner than you think.

The VRF comprise the Territorial Army (TA), the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) and the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAAF). While the TA is probably the most widely known, and is certainly the largest of these, the electrotechnical industry has an affiliation, through the Worshipful Company of Lightmongers, with a squadron of the RAAF – 606 Squadron to be precise – based at RAF Benson in Oxfordshire.

606 Squadron is part of the Joint Helicopter Command and provides a pool of trained personnel to assist on exercises and operations. It has about 125 personnel of whom ten are full-time. The training that they undertake at weekends and during the year means that about 80% of them are “combat ready” and are available for mobilisation if required. Of the 115 reservists 16 of them are female.

Imogen Marchant is an electronics technician at R F Micro Devices in Reading. Previously she had undertaken an Apprenticeship at GEC and followed this up with an HNC in Electronics. She has been a reservist with 606 Squadron for six years.

Phil Duley is a network software support manager for a small company based in the Thames Valley – he joined 606 Squadron in 1996.

Their stories are perhaps typical of those in 606 – as much as such stories can be. Imogen heard a radio advert for the RAAF, Phil had an article in the local paper pointed out to him by his mum. Both had their interest stimulated and visited bases, including RAF Benson where 606 Squadron is situated, to see what the reserve forces did. For Imogen it was the mixture of what she could do with her technical skills in conjunction with the type of squadron that she was joining that was important; for Phil it was being involved in a wider technical discipline.

Employers are going to have to get used to valued employees being away, perhaps for three months at a time

Both attended open days and weekends where they had the opportunity to experience the different technical possibilities in the squadron but also to find out the commitment that they would be making as well as the commitment that their employers would be making. One of the prerequisites that the RAAF has is that employers be consulted prior to individuals signing up. Neither Phil or Imogen’s employers were put off; indeed Imogen’s employer was positively supportive of her application and gave her two weeks’ leave to go on a recruitment course.

Needless to say both Imogen and Phil liked what they saw, the RAAF did likewise and they signed up.

Action stations

606 had advance warning that some of the squadron was likely to be needed when the British involvement in the second war in Iraq was being planned. They undertook a skills analysis of the squadron and both Imogen and Phil were likely candidates for compulsory mobilisation. They had the required skills, were combat ready and had no personal or work-related reasons as to why, if called up, they would not be able to answer the call.

Imogen and Phil did what any sensible individual would do – they talked to their employers. Imogen’s firm, while surprised that the earlier agreement to her being in the RAAF had come to this, was supportive. Phil’s likewise, despite the obvious difficulties that his absence would cause in such a small firm. As such, both employers were prepared for the official notification when it arrived. So at the same time as Imogen and Phil were preparing themselves, their employers were being informed of the things that they should be doing to facilitate leave of absence of up to three months.

Imogen and Phil didn’t end up going to Iraq but did go, after three weeks further training in the UK, to Bosnia instead. Were they disappointed? A little, perhaps, but both say that they wouldn’t have missed it for anything. Their stories of camaraderie remind me of those told by my Grandfather’s generation and tales of coming under fire while in the middle of refuelling helicopters at night and of American helicopter pilots trying to pay for fuel with a credit card remain undiminished some 12 months on.

An employer gets a member of staff with an increased sense of pride in themselves and in what they do

During the period that squadron members were away, 606 worked hard to reassure family members that all was well. They understood the need that families had for information, support and companionship. 606 also realised the importance of working with the employers and kept them informed as to where and what was going on, and when they might expect their employees back. Employers had not, in reality, expected when support was given to their employees all those years ago to lose them to a mobilisation. 606 understood that the employers had to have a relationship with somebody they knew at the squadron and who they could ring up with administrative queries – just imagine the thought of ringing up the MOD with a PAYE query.

So what are you going to do the next time that one of your staff knocks on your door and wants your support in their joining the reserves? Are you going to refuse because of the possibility that at some time in the future the Government is going to mobilise one of your key employees? I suspect not. I suspect that you will look at what benefits you might get by encouraging the employee to become a reservist.

And what is in it for the employer? Firstly you retain your skilled employee – an ever more important issue. Secondly, it is clear that in allowing an employee to become a reservist an employer gets a member of staff with an increased sense of pride in themselves and in what they do. Imogen and Phil wanted to be reservists – they were interested and they were determined; they are now more committed to their work by their involvement in the reserves. Thirdly, they get increasingly motivated employees whose self-reliance, leadership qualities and communication skills are heightened as much as if they had been sent away on course after course in management training.

Firms get back employees who are fitter and with better personal presentation than before, and who have developed and learnt additional technical skills. Furthermore, the RAAF trains using standards and qualifications that are readily transferable to the outside world of work, as well as other skills, for instance teamwork, that they are able to bring to their workplace to the advantage of their employer.

Of the 125 personnel at 606 Squadron, 90 were combat ready in February 2004. To date, nearly 60 have been mobilised and at peak 40 were away. Many stayed in the UK bases but some, such as Imogen and Phil, were in Bosnia. Some were, and are, in Iraq or the Gulf. Some went as recently as October.